Glastonbury Board Continues School Consolidation Discussion Monday

GLASTONBURY — The board of education will continue its discussion of school consolidation Mondayand through July and August.

Chairwoman Susan Karp said Superintendent Alan B. Bookman will begin Monday's meeting by responding to issues raised at a June 9 public hearing, at which many parents who spoke urged the board not to close any elementary schools.

Last month, school officials recommended closing the Eastbury and Naubuc elementary schools because enrollment is expected to decline over the next six years. With the board only scheduled to meet once in July and August, Karp said she is considering holding a special meeting.

"I think we will move the process along sequentially," she said Friday. "I think we've exhausted the enrollment issue and will move along to school capacity and see where that goes. This is a very time-consuming process ... It might be good to have one night fully devoted to the issue, but it will be tough to find that due to summer schedules."

Parent Wendy Jastremski Smith, whose children attend neither Eastbury nor Naubuc, has started an online petition called "Keep Eastbury and Naubuc Schools Open." By Friday afternoon, there were 247 signatures on the site. She is hoping to secure 1,000 signatures by June 30.

"This recommendation is based on potentially flawed enrollment projections," reads the petition, "based largely on the trend of recent enrollment figures ... There is too much risk to our children's education and the value of our town and homes if this recommendation proceeds without careful deliberation."

Since 2008, enrollment in kindergarten through fifth grade has fallen by more than 400 students. Enrollment is projected to drop by another 732 students by the 2019-20 school year. Under the school officials' proposal, Eastbury School would close first, in the 2016-17 school year, and Naubuc would follow in the 2020-21 school year.

Officials estimated that closing each school would save the school system $800,000 to $1.2 million.

The board meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in town council chambers of town hall. To see the parent petition, go to thepetitionsite.com/350/747/876/keep-eastbury-and-naubuc-elementary-schools-open/